Quick answer: Plumbers are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #74 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 51.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are physical environment and responsibility burden.
Plumbers stress profile vs the national average
Each occupation is scored across six categories of workplace mental health hazard, built from 22 stress factors identified in SafeWork Australia's occupational hazards data. Higher scores mean greater exposure.
- Emotional demands31.6 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden69.7 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands65.5 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control19.5 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony65 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment60.3 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for plumbers
Compared with the average Australian occupation, plumbers score furthest above the norm on physical environment (60.3 vs 38.2 average), responsibility burden (69.7 vs 60 average) and pace and demands (65.5 vs 56 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is frequency of decision making at 86.2/100 — against an all-occupation average of 70.7.
The occupation scores below the national average for emotional demands (31.6 vs 37.9), lack of control (19.5 vs 24.5) and precision and monotony (65 vs 67.7), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for plumbers
- 1Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
86.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 2Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
84.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 3Pace and demands
Time Pressure
81.8/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
- 4Responsibility burden
Responsible for Others' Health and Safety
78/100
All-occupation average: 57.3
- 5Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
77.8/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
All 22 stress factors for plumbers
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
31.6 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People11 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People41.5 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations42.2 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
69.7 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results69.2 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety78 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results84.8 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error50.2 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others66 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
65.5 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure81.8 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week63.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment28.8 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making86.2 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition67 vs 52.4
Lack of control
19.5 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions15.5 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work23.5 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
65 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks52.2 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate77.8 vs 78.6
Physical environment
60.3 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable76.5 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting62 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures64.2 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections27.2 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity71.5 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for plumbers map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Work Demands →The volume, pace, and complexity of what is asked of workers.
- Role Clarity →Whether workers clearly understand what is expected of them.
- Leadership →The quality and consistency of management behaviour at all levels.
- Schedule and Hours →The arrangement of working time and its effect on health and recovery.
- Physical Environment →How the physical conditions of work affect psychological wellbeing.
Methodology
Clearhead scored 317 occupations in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) using SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. We kept only the 22 hazard variables relating to mental health — such as conflict exposure, decision-making pressure, and time pressure — and deliberately excluded physical safety risks like working at height.
The 22 variables are grouped into six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment. An occupation's composite score is the equally weighted average of its six category scores. All scores run 0–100, where higher means more stress-inducing.
Two control-related variables are reported by SafeWork with inverted polarity (“freedom to make decisions” and “structured versus unstructured work”). We reverse these and present them as lack of autonomy to make decisions and amount of highly structured work, so that a higher score consistently indicates greater stress exposure.
Hazard exposure describes the average conditions of an occupation, not any individual's experience — everyone has a different tolerance for these challenges, and conditions vary between workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
Plumbers: how stressful is the job?
Plumbers rank #74 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 51.9/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 76.7% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for plumbers?
The highest-scoring hazards are frequency of decision making (86.2/100), impact of decisions on co-workers or company results (84.8/100) and time pressure (81.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in responsibility burden, pace and demands and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for plumbers?
Plumbers score below the national average for emotional demands (31.6 vs 37.9 average) and lack of control (19.5 vs 24.5 average) and precision and monotony (65 vs 67.7 average), which partially offsets the higher-scoring hazards.
Where does this data come from?
Scores are derived from SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. Clearhead filtered the dataset to the 22 mental-health-related hazard variables — excluding physical safety risks — and scored 317 ANZSCO occupations across six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment.
Beyond the average
This is the average hazard exposure for plumbers. Your workforce isn't average.
Clearhead's Psychosocial Risk Pulse measures the actual psychosocial risk in your organisation, quarterly — across 18 ISO 45003-aligned work factors.